It's strange sometimes how things just fall from the sky into your lap, figuratively speaking, of course. Watching the Republican Nation Convention tonight, I was struck by a moving video, narrated by actor Gary Sinise. Sinise is a rarity in Hollywood; he's an unabashed conservative who is fortunate in that he is so talented that the powers that be simply cannot separate their politics from their pocketbooks.
Sinise narrated a short video commemorating the brief life and career of Michael Monsoor, a brave Navy SEAL who gave his life in Iraq by falling on a live grenade in order to save his platoon. "Mikey", as he was known to those close to him, was honored in front of his surviving family at the Convention and the video was beautifully done, as was the somber narration of Sinise.
The video was a condensed synopsis of an equally condensed life story. The thing that leapt out at me was the fact that Mikey was a Navy SEAL. Becoming a SEAL is one of the most difficult processes in the military. One of the requirements is the ability to pass a test in which the cadet must hold his breath under water for 5 minutes. Michael Monsoor had asthma as a child. He conditioned himself by taking up swimming and snowboarding. Then he became a Navy SEAL.
Vice Presidential candidate Joe Bide, a 35 year veteran of the U.S. Senate, received five deferments to Vietnam because he was classified 1-Y and disqualified from service because of asthma as a teenager. Just how badly did Biden want to defend his country? Obviously not as badly as Mikey.
As the campaign season wears on we can count on the Democrats to make as little as possible of McCain's service even though it is a scant four years since they tried in vain to convince us that such service was the biggest reason to vote for Kerry over George W. Bush. Keep this in mind as the season winds down to November.
Asthma was an excuse for Biden to sit it out. It was a motivation for "Mikey" Monsoor. And Mikey's family was at the RNCC. 'Nuff said.
-Woody
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
A Profile In Courage Not Biden's
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1 comment:
its my guess that if Biden could do it all over again, he' find a way to serve even tho he was very much against the war.
People change from youth to adult.
But he did feel at the time that the 'domino theory' of communism wouldnt work in Asia. These people dont get along and wouldnt accept a foreign power controlling them.
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